Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Marion, IA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.7% of gross income.
Marion rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).
About rent and a police officer salary
The gap between a police officer's base pay and the rent in the city they patrol is a widely tracked local affordability question. Many large-city departments now publish recruitment materials that include a local-rent comparison, because affordability has become a recruiting issue. At the national-average officer base pay, the 30% rule supports about $1,932 a month in rent. The per-city pages combine local rent with local officer-pay estimates to show where rent stays within that range.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Marion, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Marion
View full rent data for Marion, IA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Marion, IA?
Median rent in Marion is $1,287 a month. A typical police officer in Iowa earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 21.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Marion?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Iowa (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Marion's current median rent is $1,287/mo, which leaves a $490/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Marion?
At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Iowa works roughly 37.7 hours a month to cover Marion's median rent of $1,287.
Where is rent cheaper than Marion for a police officer?
Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Pleasant Hill ($1,286/mo), Council Bluffs ($1,286/mo), Coralville ($1,282/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.